I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

This week, my must-read choices feature a mix of articles and columns covering everything from design through assembly, European event coverage and plain old business advice. Peter Tranitz discusses the upcoming Pan-European Electronics Design Conference, set for Jan. 29-30 in Vienna, Austria. Pete Starkey brings us a review of the most recent EIPC Technical Snapshot webinar, which featured a global PCB maker update by Dr. Hayao Nakahara. 

If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss about regarding China Plus One, don’t miss this interview with Manfred Huschka, who explains how companies can begin their own China Plus One plan. Stan Farnsworth breaks down photonic soldering and discusses its use in soldering materials that are not typically compatible. I also enjoyed Dan Beaulieu’s discussion on the value of consistency, and why just showing up for work is half the battle, especially in an inconsistent, evolving industry like ours.

We’re in the holiday season now, and things are about to get really hectic. I hope you all get to spend time with your friends and loved ones, because trade show season is just around the corner, and it’s going to be crazy. Have a great holiday!  

IPC, FED Partner for New Design Conference in Vienna
Published December 12

IPC and FED have partnered up to launch the Pan-European Electronics Design Conference, slated for January 29-30 in Vienna, Austria. In this interview, IPC’s Peter Tranitz discusses this event, which offers peer-reviewed presentations, much like IPC APEX EXPO, not the typical product pitches prevalent at most European electronics shows. Ja!

EIPC Technical Snapshot: Factors Driving the Fluctuating Demand for PCBs
Published December 11

Pete Starkey is back. This month, he brings us a review of the latest EIPC Technical Snapshot, a webinar featuring Dr. Hayao Nakahara. Naka discusses the global PCB manufacturing landscape, and explains why the world’s top 30 PCB makers had such a “disastrous” 2023.

Does China Plus One Actually Work?
Published December 10

I recently asked one of our expert contributors this exact question: Does China Plus One actually work? Manfred Huschka breaks it all down for us—how supply line hiccups got us into this situation in the first place, why China Plus One might make sense for your company, and how to implement this concept into your future supply chain plans.

The Power of Consistency: Showing Up Every Day is Half the Battle
Published December 9

It’s not every day that we have a column informed by the spirit of Woody Allen, but Dan Beaulieu is always full of surprises. In a constantly evolving industry like ours, the most consistent companies are the ones who stay ahead of the competition. They don’t have one great idea and coast or buy an ad every other leap year. Check it out.  

Advanced Photonic Soldering
Published December 11

If you’re on the design side of things like me, you might be thinking, “What in the world is photonic soldering anyway?” Well, Stan Farnsworth of PulseForge is here to answer that question. As Stan says, photonic soldering allows customers to “solder materials that normally ought not go together.” If you’re working with materials that are not thermally compatible, you’ll definitely want to check out this interview.